Peters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TUBE-JOINT FOR CONDENSERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,927, dated July 20,1858; Ressued May 8, 1866, No. 2,237.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HoRA'rIo ALLEN, of New York, in the State of NewYork, have i invented a Mode of Making the Joints of the Tubes ofCondensers and Similar Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

Various modes have been devised for making the connection of the tube,with the head which it passes through, in such manner that perfecttightness against leakage, or Ypassage of air or :Huid may be secured,and at the same time a freedom for the expansion or contraction of thetube is provided, which does not impair the tightness of the joint. Theplan which I have invented effects these essential ends with greatcertainty, simplicity and economy; and with the use of materials, ofgreat durability; and-also provides for the easy renewal of each tubeand of the renewal of the joint.

It is well known that white pine (and other woods of same character)when thoroughly dried lose about 6th of their original thickness, andthat when placed in water the piece will return to its originalthickness; it is also a fact that well seasoned white pine, and otherwoods of same character can be compressed to less than half theirthickness, and retain their tenacity, and will then be of increaseddensity and will bear to be driven into a sity and then will bear to bedriven into a joint with considerable force. IVhen a piece of dry whitepine (which is named as the bestwood,) either uncompressed or compressedis driven into a joint and the joint is immersed in water, the dry pieceand the compressed piece will tend to return to their original thicknessbefore being dried. There simply seasoned wood is used the joint will bet-ight up to a pressure of about 15 pounds per square inch, but at apressure exceeding that number of pounds to the inch, water will beforced to some extent through the pores of the wood. But when compresseddry wood is used, it will require a higher degree of pressure to forcewater through the wood, according as the piece has been compressed to agreater degree before it was inserted.

The joint which I have invented for making the joints of tubes rests onthese facts..

The hole in the tube plate is drilled from lth to th of an inch largerdiameter than that of the tube which is to enter it. For about 'qgth ofan inch of the depth of the hole, it is reamed out bell mouthed to aslight degree. A tube of dry white pine of suitable thickness, and about-th of an inch longer than thickness of tube sheet, is used to make thejoint by being driven into it, the thickness of the wooden tube being asmuch greater than that of the joint, as will allow it to be driven orforced into the joint. For light pressure say not over 20 pounds to thesquare inch, the wooden tube need not be compressed, but for greaterpressure, and to make a more perfect oint it is preferable to use tubesof compressed wood, carrying the compression to the highest degreeconsistent with preserving the tenacity of the wood.

To effect the compression of the wooden tube an instrument is usedrepresented in Figure 3. Through the brass A is the circular hole B.This hole from 1 to 2 is of the same diameter, as that of the outside ofthe wooden tube when compressed; from 3 to 4 it is of the diameter ofthe wooden tube before compression, and that part of the hole between 2and 3 is conical connect ing the two holes, the surfaces being made verysmooth. Through the hole B passes the rod C. The diameter of the rod Cfrom l to 5 is that of the inside diameter of the wooden tube which (ashas been said) is that of the outside of metal tube. From 5 to 6 is acollar C which is held on the rod by the key, which collar is of thediameter of the wooden tube before compression. The rod from 1 to 7 isof less diameter than from 1 to 5 and passes through the piece N, and iscut to receive the nut D. By the removal of the collar C, the woodentube to be compressed is inserted on` the rod B, and by keying thecollar on, the instrument is prepared to effect the compression of thepiece. This is done by turning the nut D, by which means the wooden tubewill be forced through the cone and made to take dimensions of the jointfrom l to 2, and will come out compressed to about one-half the originalthickness.

In most cases it will not be necessary to compress the wood any morethan can be eected in forcing it into the joint. To enable that to bedone readily and with a good degree of power, means are provided andused as represented in Fig. 5.

The hole in the tube plate E being made of requisite diameter to makethe joint of the proper size, (which will usually be about lU of aninch) and being reamed out bell mouthed for above -Ll-,th of an inch,and the dry wooden tube, either uncompressed or compressed being readyfor insertion, a rod F is run through the tube; on the part eX- tendingbeyond the tube a screw is out; the dry wooden tube I-I is placed overthe rod and entered in the bell mouthed entrance; the outer guide pieceI, is placed over the wooden tube, and the forcing piece L, is placed onthe rod and against the end of the wooden tube. The nut M is screwed onthe rod F, and by continuing to turn the nut, its action through theforcing piece I, will force the wooden tube into the joint. While thisinsertion of the wooden tube is being made the metal tube must be heldfirm at the farther end. The wooden tube can also be inserted by beingdriven in by a mallet. After the wooden tube is inserted in the jointthe surface of the external ends of the tubes should be rubbed andcoated with red lead or other similar substance, for the purpose ofclosing the pores of the wood; which retain the capacity of permeabilityto water even after considerable compression.

Instead of making the wooden tubes of one cylindrical piece, the samekind of joint would be made and same end effected but with more risk ofimperfect joints, by making the tube of pieces or small staves ofcompressed or uncompressed wood.

Fig. 1, represents a section of tube plate, and metal tube showing thespace provided for the insertion of the wooden tube, and thebell-mouthed entrance at. Fig. 2, repre` sents the wooden tube eithercompressed or uncompressed, ready for insertion in the joint. Fig. 6,represents the wooden tube after it has been inserted and saturated withwater-the ends at O, to be covered with red lead or other similarsubstance. Fig. 4E, represents means used when the wooden tube is forcedin by blows.

I am aware that in lines of pipes for conveying water, short pipes ofwood banded at the ends with iron, have been used to connect the ironpipes, the iron pipe being driven into the wooden pipe, or the woodenpipe on to the iron pipe. But this combination is not one for making animperfect joint tight, but is a combination of wooden and iron pipes theoints of which shall not form the material used be imperfect. And I donot claim such combination of wooden and meteal pipes as embraced withinmy device.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Making the joint formed by two metal surfaces (as in the joints of tubesin the tube sheets of surface condensers, and other similar instruments)tight, by inserting between the tube and tube sheet, a tube of seasonedor compressed wood, made either in one or several pieces; relying on theeXpansion of the wood after being saturated by water to make the jointtight; and on the freedom of the metal tube to move endwise withoutaffecting the tightness of the joint, to avoid injurious results fromthe eXpansion and contraction of the metal tube-all substantially in themanner and for the purposes herein set forth.

HORATIO ALLEN.

Vitnesses TI-Ios. FrrZPATRIoK, GEO. W. ARMSTRONG.

[FIRST PRINTED 1911.]

